Reciprocating die actuating means



Sept. 26, 1950 H.'T. HEARN 2,523,430

RECIPROCATING DIE ACTUATING MEANS Filed Aug. 25, 1948 s sheets-sheet 1 Sept. A26, 1950 H. T. HEARN RECIPROCATING DIE ACTUATING MEANS Filed Aug. 23, 1948 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 26, 1950 H. T. HEARN 2,523,430

- RECIPROCATING DIE ACTUATING MEANS Filed Aug. '25, 1948 5 sheets-sheet s ZZHQ apn INV ENTOR BY C'dww-Fo.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 26, Y195() UNITED STATES PATENT VQFFICE VRECIIRO CATING DIE ACTUATING -MEANS Henry T.-Hearn, Winston-Salem, fN. "0.

Application August 23, 1948,SerialNo.45,65-3 .zolaims (Crim- 3.)

This invention relates to an vembossing machine, adapted to -emboss Anames, symbols, and the like on the innerflaps of envelopes, stationery, cards, and similar stock.

By way of background, it may be noted that embossing of such stock as has been mentioned above is still most commonly carried on in theart by hand. Obviously, the use of a hand embosser is fatig-uing, slow, rand expensive, in View of the number of'workersneeded.

The primary object of :the present invention, accordingly, is to vprovide an embossing machine, adapted to perform at high speed-all the embossing operations presently being ycarried l.out by hand, said machine to require the presence .of only one person, to 'feed the `stock 'to `the machine.

Another important `objectis'to provide, fin suoli a machine, :adjustment means whereby the lspeed ofthe machine can `be adjusted readily and `sirnply, and'to provide, in combination With-the speed adjustment, .a `pressure adjustment whereby the force with which the embossing iis accomplished can .be varied.

Another important object is 'to provide a :device as .described 4`that Vwill comprise "a compact, simply designed, and 'self contained unit, readily portable, Aand including .an adjustably :positioned power means, radjustablezpower transmission, and

an embossing head :so formed as to accommodateV various types of .conventional dies, such fas .spring steel dies, flat plates, andthe like.

'With the foregoing and other :objects in view which will Yappear as the -desfcniption proceeds, the invention consists Vof certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, :hiereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, .being understood that 'changes may be vmade in the construction and arrangement lof parts Vwithout departing `from Vthe spirit fof the invention as claimed. .Referring to the drawings Figure l is a side elevational View of 1an-:embossing machine constructed in accordance with the invention, portions being broken away.

Figure `2 is a side elevation :of the machine., looking at "the opposite side.

Figure 3 is `a top :plan view.

:Figuren is a fragmentary detail section, .taken -on line `4--4 of Fig. 2.

Figure '5 .is `a fragmentary `section through nthe -adjustab'lemotor mount.

Referring to .the .drawings in detail, ,IIJ designates a cast base, substantially flat and `rectangular vin :general conformation. Cast on .the base, at .one end thereof, `are the parallel guide rails .I.I on which slides the platform IZ said platform adapted to be held firmly in adjustable positions to which .slidably moved by means of the hold down bolts threadable into the guide rails II through the locking plates I4, that overlie the side flanges of the platform.

l The motor I5 is bolted to the platform 'I2 and in view of the above described mounting of the platform, motor VI5 is thus adapted to be adjusted transversely of the base I0, and secured in adjusted positions. To facilitate the adjustment, I provide an upstanding projection I 5 on 'the base, having a threaded opening `receiving the elongated adjusting screw I'I, that is connected at its `inner end to, and is rotatable in, an ear depending from platform I2, as shown at `I8 '(Fig. 5').

The electric motor I5 is adapted to rotate a drive Wheel I.-9, `said drive wheel `in the present instance being a smooth Vfaced disc of substantial diameter, preferably formedof lalurninummateria-1 or 'the like.

'Frictionally engaging one face of the drive wheel I9, for `rotation by the drive wheel, is the small friction roller 20, which :is preferably rubbercovered, and the friction roller 2i] is mounted to Aslide along and rotate with the non-circular shaft ZrI. Shaft .ZI is journaled at one end in the `bearing 22, xedly secured to `and upstanding from the base IIJ..

Rigid with and extended laterally from the bearing .member 22 is the guide arm 23, having its free end upturned and formed with an opening in which is ,journaled one end of vthe speed `.with the friction roller 2U.

left or right in Fig. l, for adjustment of the speed of said roller.

Mounted on and rotatable with the shaft 2| is the balance wheel 21, and the other end of the shaft extends into the cast gear case 28, having the removable cover plate 29. Said other end of the shaft carries the worm 30, in mesh with the gear 3|, said worm and gear constituting reduction gearing.

Rotatable with the gear 3l is the driven disc 32, and connected at one end to the disc 32 is the pitman 33. The other end of pitman 33 is connected to toggle 34, that is pivoted at one end, as at 35, to the pedestal 36 upstanding from the base l0. The other end of the toggle is pivoted as at 31 to the lower end of the plunger 38, that is square in cross section, and is adapted to be reciprocated in the rear extension 39 of the standard 4U, that extends upwardly from the pedestal 36. By reference to Fig. 4, it may be noted that the extension 39 is formed with recess 4| that is angular in cross section, in which recess the plunger 38 is adapted to be reciprocated, and normally covering said plunger and recess is the access plate 42, removably mounted on the extension 39.

The upper end of the plunger 38 is adapted to abut against the pressure adjustment screw 43, that is adjustably threaded through the rear end of a rocker arm 44, fulcrumed on the cross bar 45, that is mounted in the head 46 integral with the standard 48.

The other end of the rocker arm 44 engages the upper end of plunger block 41, reciprocable in the head 46. Thus, it may be observed that on the upstroke of the plunger 38, plunger block 41 will be impelled downwardly, and the pressure in which said plunger block is forced downwardly, that is, the length of said Stroke, is adjusted by means of the pressure adjustment screw 43.

Adapted to return the plunger block to its normal position is the coil spring 48, and permitting removal of the plunger block 41 when desired is the removable access plate 49, mounted on the head 45 and defining in cooperation with the head a non-circular bore in which the plunger block 41 reciprocates.

Fixedly secured to the lower end of the plunger block 41 is the die plate holder 50, having formed at its underside the dovetail'groove 5I. A die plate 52 is formed with a tongue that vfits in the groove 5|, and thus, die plate 52 can be removed as necessary. On the die plate 52 is the transversely disposed pressure block 53, used when embossing operations are to be performed with spring seal dies (not shown) Opposing and spaced from the die plate 52 is the lower die plate holder 54, which alternatively may be considered the male die holder. This supports the removable lower die plate or female die plate 55.

In the event spring seal dies are to be utilized, these lare carried by an adjustable holder to be described. Referring to this holder, a bolt 55 extends through slots formed in the holder 51, that is formed with the opening 58. Opening 58 is adapted to receive holding screw, not shown, that supports the female or upper spring seal die in a position just below the pressure block 53. The male spring seal die, as will be understood, is adapted to rest upon the male die plate holder 55. By means of the slotted holder 51, adjustment of the spring seal die relative to the pres- 4 sure block 53 can be made before the die is secured in position below the pressure block.

yThe operation, it is believed, will be readily understood. The operator feeds individual pieces of stock into the space between the dies, in succession, and in rhythm with the movement of the plunger block 41. The number of strokes per minute of plunger block 41 are readily adjusted by means of the speed adjustment screw 24. The length of stroke or pressure of the stroke of the plunger` block 41 is adjusted by means of the pressure adjustment screw 43. Assuming that .all adjustments have been made, the user, if spring seal dies are to be used, secures the female die to the holder 51 as described above, and adjusted relative to the pressure block 53. The male spring seal die is secured upon the removable male die plate holder 55. Embossing operations may now be carried on at regulated speed and pressure.

If dies other than spring seal dies are to be used, as for instance where flat plates are being used, the female die plate can be formed with a tongue adapted to t in the dovetail groove 5I, it being understood that the die plate holder 52 would of course in this instance be removed. A cooperating male die would be substituted for the holder 55. Other dies of various thicknesses can be utilized, and in each instance, adjustments can be made for the machine to accommodate the particular type of die being used, and also to accommodate the working speed of the operator. In every instance, a legible embossed impression is made, and the various adjustments mentioned permit minute regulation so as t0 make said impression not only legible, but of maximum clarity.

What is claimed is:

1. In an embossing machine a base; a stationary die holder mounted thereon; a plunger block including a die holder complementary to the stationary die holder and mounted for vertical sliding movement in said base; spring means interposed between the plunger block and base and normally biasing said lplunger block away from the stationary die holder; a rocker arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends upon the base, the pivotal connection of said rocker arm to the base being closer to one end of said rocker arm than to the other end thereof for movement of opposite ends of the rocker arm through arcuate paths of different lengths, one of said ends of the rocker arm overlying said plunger block for biasing the plunger block downwardly toward said stationary die holder; an adjusting screw threaded in the other end of said rocker arm; a plunger rod slidably reciprocable in said base and engaging said adjusting screw at one end; and means for imparting reciprocating movement to said plunger rod.

2. In an embossing machine a base; a stationary die holder mounted thereon; a plunger block mounted for vertical reciprocation in said base and including a movable die holder complementary to the stationary die holder; spring means interposed between the plunger block and base and normally biasing the plunger block upwardly away from said stationary die holder; a rocker arm pivotally mounted upon the base intermediate its ends, the pivotal connection of said rocker arm being disposed closer to one end thereof than to the other end, the first-named end of the rocker arm overlying and being non-connected to the plunger block for biasing the plunger block downwardly toward the stationary die holder on swing'- ing of said first-named end of the rocker arm' i REFERENCES CITE) through an arcuate path, there being a threaded The following references are of record in th opening formed in the opposite end of said rocker me of this patent; arm; an adjusting screw threaded in said open-i ing; a plunger rod mounted for sliding recipro-j 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS eating movement in the base and engaging said Number Name Date adjusting screw at one end for imparting rock- 1,608,955 Pollack N0v 30 1926 ing movement to said rocker arm against the 1,689,349 Lang i Oct. 30, 1928 action of the spring; and means for imparting lo 1,790,233 Fowler Jan. 27, 1931 reciprocating movement to said plunger rod. 1,863,199 Fowler i June 14, 1932 1,894,486 Freeman Jan. 17, 1933 HENRY T. I-IEARN. 2,035,956 Freeman Mar. 31, 1936 2,268,583 Freeman Jan. y6, 1942 

